How to play against the Fianchetto variation of the Kings

Indian Defence?

Today I will show you a new GUEST article entitled How to play against the Fianchetto
variation of the Kings Indian Defence?

It was written by the famous commentator from Bosnia and Herzegovina, IM Jasmin
BEJTOVIC.

Jasmin will show you, in many examples and analysis, how to play against this opening and
hell share his SECRETS with you.

How to play against the Fianchetto variation of the Kings Indian Defence?

There are many ways to play against the Kings Indian Defence and one of the most popular
is to fianchetto the kings bishop on g2. This system was never the main weapon in the hands
of players with the White pieces, but it has always had the reputation of a very solid system
where White wants to keep Blacks activity under control, before taking active operations.

After Boris Avrukhs book Grandmaster Preparation 1.d4, part two, the Fianchetto
variation suddenly became the main weapon against KID.

Some of the very experienced KID players had gone so far that they played the system with
c6 and d5 (transforming to the Fianchetto variation of the Grunfeld Defence) when playing
against Whites fianchetto.

As I always played this opening against 1.d4, I (and many other KID players) was under
pressure to find a way to fight against the Fianchetto variation that also can pass the test of
time, and all of a sudden I met the Fianchetto variation regularly.

In this article, I dont want to create a complete repertoire against it (as it is simply not
possible because of the length of this article) or to advertise the strongest continuation against
it. My intention is quite simple and moderate: I want to show the readers one of my games
(and some reference games), in which I shall explain some new ideas and theoretical
novelties, while also pointing to the possibilities that should be analysed separately.

This game was played at a high level (my opponents were GM Milan Drasko and in the
reference games, GMs Vladislav Tkachiev, Juri Drozdovsky, Allan Stig Rasmussen and
IM Jonathan Hawkins), and I was (un)lucky that the game was not published in any
database.

However, the times when I played 100+ rated games per year is behind me, so I dont see any
point in not sharing these games with a wider audience.

Therefore, lets look what Black can play against the Fianchetto variation of the Kings
Indian Defence. I shall purposely ignore the possibilities of transforming into other openings
(Benoni or Grunfeld Defence).
One system for Black is (after more or less obligatory moves 1Nf6 2g6 3Bg7 40-0)
5d6 and 6Nbd7. Here Black wants to play e7-e5. The details of this variation can be
found in the book Grandmaster Repertoire on Kings Indian Defence by GM Kotronias.

The other is the Panno system (this system is recommended in Bologans book about the
Kings Indian Defence) with 5d6, 6Nc6 and later on Black plays either a6-Rb8 or the
quick e7-e5.

I played this way in some of my games and even if I had quite good results, this variation was
never appealing to me.

The third possibility is to play 5d6 and 6c5.This is the variation I want to write about.

There are two possible ways for White to play against it and, as I experienced in my practice,
players with White are often not aware of these (even those with the highest titles).

Variation Number 1

1. d4, Nf6 2. c4, g6 3. Nf3, Bg7 4. g3, 0-0 5. Bg2, d6 6. 0-0, c5 7. d5

Variation Number 2
 1. d4, Nf6 2. c4, g6 3. Nf3, Bg7 4. g3, 0-0 5.
Bg2, d6 6. Nc3, c5 7. d5

Notice that in one variation, White develops his knight on c3 and that in the other variation,
he chooses to castle.

Anyway, in both variations there are three possible strategies for White.

He/She can:

Exchange on c5, with the idea to take advantage of the extra tempo in a rather
symmetrical position.
He/She can advance d4-d5 and play for a space advantage.
He/She can maintain tension in the centre and play 7. Nc3 (or 7. 0-0 in variation
number 2), and here we can see that both variations (Number 1 and Number 2) lead
to the same position after seven moves. After 7Nc6, White has two possibilities: 3A)
exchange on c5, which usually leads to the same positions as an exchange on the
previous move; 3b) 8.d5 and after 8Na5,this leads to the position that can be
reached via the Panno variation and is heavily analysed and played.

My intention is to focus on positions described under Number 2.

Drasko,Milan (2474) Bejtovic,Jasmin (2413)

[E60] Neum BiH-chT1 (4), 21.06.2011
[Bejtovic Jasmin]

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.0-0 [4.d4 0-0 5.c4 d6 6.Nc3 c5 7.d5

Here is the position with the knight on c3 (instead of a short castle). 7...e5!? This is what
Black can do in order to equalise. Notice that the move from the game 7...b5 is not possible.
8.0-0 (8.dxe6 Bxe6 9.Ng5 - this is how White can try to punish Blacks play immediately. In
the main game, you can see why this method is not possible if the knight is still on b1.
9...Bxc4 10.Bxb7 Nbd7 11.Bxa8 Qxa8
In this position, Black has full compensation for sacrificed material. My intention is not to
analyse this position in depth, so I will just leave one reference game: Grigoriants, S. (2562)
- Mamedyarov, S. (2646), Abu Dhabi, op 15th 2005, (6) 0-1) 8...a6.

This move is not mentioned in Boris Avrukhs book GM Repertoire. My idea is to play b5
in the style of the Volga Gambit: 9.a4 (9.Ne1 b5 10.cxb5 axb5 11.Nxb5 Ba6 12.Nc3 Nbd7
Drozdovskij, Y. (2608) - Bejtovic, J. (2404), 5th Xtra Con Open 2010, (1) 1-0) 9...a5!

That is the whole idea. Black provoked a4 and now is ready to close the position on the
queenside. It is not possible to make any progress there (in Avrukhs repertoire, White
combines his play on the kingside with a b4 break). 10.e4 Na6 11.Ne1 Nb4= Rasmussen, A.
(2510) - Bejtovic, J. (2382), Politiken Cup 2010, (9) -].

40-0 5.c4 c5 6.d4 d6 7.d5

[7.Nc3 Nc6 8.dxc5 dxc5;

7.dxc5 dxc5 8.Ne5 White can include an exchange on c5 before Black plays Nc6, so he has
the possibility of this knight jump. 8...Nfd7! 9.Nd3!? Hawkins, J. (2499) - Bejtovic, J.
(2385), 119th CH-SCO 2012, 2012 (9.4) 1-0(9.Nxd7 Qxd7!=) ].

7b5

Now, when the knight is not on c3, Black can play the same as in the Volga Gambit. [7...e5
this idea is completely wrong now... 8.dxe6 Bxe6 9.Ng5 Bxc4 10.Bxb7 Nbd7 11.Bxa8
Qxa8 12.Na3!].

8.cxb5 a6 9.bxa6 Bf5!? 10.Nfd2

[10.a3: I played one very interesting game in Cannes recently. My opponent was GM
Vladislav Tkachiev and he felt that he was in some kind of preparation for me, so he has
already spent a lot of time here. He came up with 10. a3!?. The game continuation was:
10...Nxa6 11.Nc3 Ne4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.Nd2 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 Nc7 15.Nc4 Ra6 16.e4 Qa8
17.Qd3 f5 18.f3 fxe4 19.fxe4 Rxf1 20.Kxf1
I had a feeling that I had done everything right, so that I could count on equality here.
However, his threat is Bg5 and then Kg2 and Rf1, with a healthy extra pawn. Thats why I
needed drastic measures: 20...e6 21.dxe6 Nxe6!? (21...d5!? I calculated this to equality, but I
chickened out and played a safer move, 22.exd5 Nxd5 23.Qe4 Ne3+! 24.Qxe3 Bd4 25.Qb3
Qh1+ 26.Ke2 Rxe6+ and Black is at least not worse.) 22.Ne3 Ra4 23.Nd5 Rd4 24.Qe2 Rxd5
25.exd5 Qxd5 26.Be3 Nd4 27.Bxd4 Bxd4 28.Qe8+= Tkachiev, V. (2637) - Bejtovic, J.
(2407), Cannes winter open, (3) -].

10Nxa6 11.Nc3 Nb4 12.Nc4 Bc2 13.Qd2 Bb3 14.Na3 Bxd5 15.Nxd5 Nfxd5 16.Nc4

This position is known in theory and the evaluation was slightly better for White. I found a
very interesting idea that leads to very promising position for Black [16.Bxd5 Nxd5 17.Qxd5

Rxa3 and Black is better].

16Nc7!
[16...e6,this was played by most players.16...Nb6,this version of the exchange sacrifice
proved to be insufficient. 17.Nxb6 Qxb6 18.Bxa8 Rxa8 Nikolic, P. (2676) - Ramirez
Alvarez, A. (2507), Corus-B, Wijk aan Zee 2005, (4) -].

17.Bxa8 Qxa8

Black has full compensation. I have very extended analysis of this position, but because of
limited space I will only say that Blacks ideas are connected with Rb8, Nc6-Nd4 (when
pushed by a2-a3 and Rb1), and Rb3.It will reduce Whites possibilities, so Black can put
further pressure on Whites position with Qa6 or Nd5.

18.Ne3 Ne6 19.a3 Rb8 20.Rb1 Qe4 21.axb4

Drasko gives back material in order to finish his development.

21Qxb1 22.Nd5 Bf8

Black is little better, but as it was a team competition and a draw with Black on the first board
was enough for my team, I offered a draw which was accepted by my opponent -.

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